How do I go from this to THIS: Front Door Conversion

[Nick5272]

Hey everyone, on my 1991 TC2000 I am about to do the roof raise. I figured while the roof was raised or during that process it’d be a good time to figure out what we’re doing with the door. I’ve included two pics of my door (open and closed) and a picture of what I’m hoping for (more or less) would love to use the existing windows since they’re already road ready.

Here are the three pics on Imgur as well: https://imgur.com/a/Lkdzrnb

[rossvtaylor]

That looks like a residential door. But if you want to modify your existing door, this might help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwVW_B2KuG0

[Dbacks2k4]

Start with selling that bluebird and buying an international

The big thing is the bluebird has a center hinged bifold door whereas the international is two separate pieces that flap out.

Check out bussy mcbussface video. They had a similar bluebird to yours. It's quite a bit of fabrication to get there.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=C-jZ6hQvzrA

[DeMac]

An older skoolie.net thread, but a classic. Juicy door pics begin on post #5.
Great descriptions

[cadillackid]

bluebirds were made with the double out doors.. the jacknife door was optional as was the double out.. bluebird made double outs with sinbgle glass in each side as well as doubkle outs with 2 panels in each side.. my bird is an electric operated double out with dual pane glass and 2 panels per half.. they are the most common..



Jacknife doors with the oval windows were somewhat of an anomally later on in the TC / A3 life..



if I rememebr right, my double outs have the synchronizing gears to keep the panels even underneath the step and the electric actuator is above.. id have to check again. I have a carpenter with double outs too and each of them is different..

[Dbacks2k4]

If you really want to go nuts you can fab a whole new door like the one and only, the myth, the legend: Mr. Cassady.

But, my fab skills aren't that great so I'm going to do similar to that international in the photo you showed with modifying the dual-swing-out to a single piece (closer to McBussface)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=nA5jvx67Ovs

[Dbacks2k4]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

bluebirds were made with the double out doors.. the jacknife door was optional as was the double out.. bluebird made double outs with sinbgle glass in each side as well as doubkle outs with 2 panels in each side.. my bird is an electric operated double out with dual pane glass and 2 panels per half.. they are the most common..

Jacknife doors with the oval windows were somewhat of an anomally later on in the TC / A3 life..

if I rememebr right, my double outs have the synchronizing gears to keep the panels even underneath the step and the electric actuator is above.. id have to check again. I have a carpenter with double outs too and each of them is different..

You're absolutely right, I had a 97 BlueBird TC2000 with the swing out doors. I didn't mean to imply they didn't come that way My '84 GMC Bluebird had the bifold "jackknife" style.

My '97 swing-out was all-mechanical, no electric or air actuation, so just a lever in the center dash console with a rod that ran to the front door, then a similar gearing at the top to an international that moved the rear door synchronous with the front.

Mine was also a rust bucket... the door hinge pin on the front lower completely busted off and we got to fabricate on a replacement ha ha - the thing never did close right after that

[TucsonAZ]

I'll be honest, I think if you can't manage to get your pictures to properly display it may be a larger project than you can do.

[cadillackid]

I hate the door in the posted video.. VERY large blindspot... turning a double out door into a sedan (single) door makes good sense from heat loss as that center strip tends to leak alot but you'll need to beef the hinges up.. the bushings on one half of those double out doors arent designed to carry the weight of a full door...



the advantage of the jacknife door is that if you dont have Air conditioning you can run with the door open on the road.. (did it a few times in my superior before I installed air conditioning

[HamSkoolie]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I hate the door in the posted video.. VERY large blindspot

AGREED
I don't know how many times I've been driving a bus, tractor, or pickup trailer and had someone try to squeeze by on the right to make a right hand turn while I'm in the right turn lane with my turn signal on. Without glass to show me they were there (military tractors) I've nearly taken out a number of them when I pull forward (to clear the curb/sidewalk with the trailer) and crank the wheel only to see a small car with a loose nut holding the wheel come shooting out.... often accompanied by the international hand sign of a bird.
There's a reason there's glass in those doors and it's not just for the driver to put the door in front of boarding passengers.

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

AGREED
I don't know how many times I've been driving a bus, tractor, or pickup trailer and had someone try to squeeze by on the right to make a right hand turn while I'm in the right turn lane with my turn signal on. Without glass to show me they were there (military tractors) I've nearly taken out a number of them when I pull forward (to clear the curb/sidewalk with the trailer) and crank the wheel only to see a small car with a loose nut holding the wheel come shooting out.... often accompanied by the international hand sign of a bird.
There's a reason there's glass in those doors and it's not just for the driver to put the door in front of boarding passengers.

I left the half moon mirrors on both my RE busses specifically because of this same reason, huge blind spot. To be honest the blind spot is there regardless of the window delete but does become larger without the lower windows.

If you adjust the mirrors just right you can see the whole lower side of the bus from the front tires all the way back!

Without them you will lose the visual vantage point !